Steven Spielberg reveals what he loves about The BFG

Steven Spielberg thinks "scrumdiddlyumptious" is the modern-day equivalent of "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious".

The award-winning moviemaker's latest effort, 'The BFG', is a big screen adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic novel and Spielberg thinks the richness of the writer's language is comparable to that seen in 'Mary Poppins'.

He explained: "There's such cleverness in the BFG's language. In the words that Roald Dahl gave him, like scrumdiddlyumptious. It's the modern day supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Then there's whizpopper and troggle-humper, which means nightmare."

Spielberg claims there are parallels between his new movie and one of his all-time classics, 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial', which was released in 1982.

He told the Mail on Sunday newspaper: "There are plenty of connections. I think people will take from it what they will.

"The movie has a kindness to it. And we are lacking kindness at the moment on every level."

Indeed, Spielberg admitted that until last year, he used to escape the harsh realities of the world by watching the British period drama 'Downton Abbey'.

He said: "I love British television. It has been a major influence on American television. And a major influence on my family. My wife has been addicted to it. It was a sad day when we both watched the last episode together.

"But the good news is that Penelope Wilton plays the Queen of England in 'The BFG'. I wouldn't have known her were it not for [her playing Isobel Crawley in] 'Downton Abbey'."